Bible Strands
Numbers 16:22
But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the whole congregation?”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses and Aaron fall facedown and address God immediately after He commands them to withdraw from the congregation so He may destroy them instantly. They plead with Him to withhold wrath from the entire group because of a single offender.
The words — The Hebrew אֱלֹהֵי הָ/רוּחֹת לְ/כָל־ (elohe ha/ruchoth le/khol) translates literally to “God of the spirits of all.” Moses applies this designation to emphasize God’s direct authority over every human life before asking about collective punishment.
The thread — The title “God of the spirits of all flesh” appears in Numbers 27:16 when Moses petitions for a successor, and parallels Job 12:10’s statement that breath belongs to every living thing. It also frames the oracle in Zechariah 12:1 concerning Israel’s destiny.
Why it lands — The text records Moses and Aaron questioning whether divine anger over one sin should automatically consume the whole group. It asks the reader to recognize the tension between corporate judgment and intercessory appeal without assuming a predetermined outcome.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
Cross-references
- Numbers 27:16 “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
- Job 12:10 The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
- Zechariah 12:1 This is the burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth, who forms the spirit of man within him:
- Ecclesiastes 12:7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
- Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
- Genesis 18:23 Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
- Romans 5:18 So then, just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men.
- Genesis 18:32 Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
- Numbers 14:5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel.
- Numbers 16:45 “Get away from this congregation so that I may consume them in an instant.” And Moses and Aaron fell facedown.